Fake Profiles: The Two Words That Show Up in 13 of 89 Dating Apps' Bad Reviews

Across the Dating category, one two-word phrase dominates negative reviews more than any other: "fake profiles," mentioned 583 times and spread across 13 of the 89 apps we tracked. That's not a complaint about one bad actor. It shows up in roughly one out of every seven dating apps in the catalogue, which is a wide spread for a single specific phrase.

The next closest phrase, "fake accounts," appears 229 times across 9 apps — less than half the mention count of "fake profiles" and in four fewer apps. Together the two phrases describe essentially the same frustration in different words, and between them they touch a large share of the negative review pool. "Customer service" trails further behind at 212 mentions across 7 apps, and phrases like "don't waste" (185 mentions, 8 apps) and "worst dating" (148 mentions, 8 apps) round out the list of what reviewers repeat most.

Some phrases are rarer but still specific: "phone number" shows up 107 times across 5 apps, often tied to verification or being asked for personal details. "Without paying" and "miles away" each appear 36 times across just 3 apps apiece — small numbers, but concentrated in a handful of apps rather than spread thin.

"Fake profiles" draws 583 mentions across 13 apps — more than double the mentions of "fake accounts" in nine apps.

None of this means dating apps are failing overall. Across the category's 89 apps, negative 1-2 star reviews make up 14.3% of ratings, neutral 3-star reviews are 5.8%, and 79.9% of reviews are still 4 or 5 stars. Fake profile complaints are a loud, recurring thread inside that 14.3%, not evidence that most users are unhappy.

What's worth separating is volume from spread. "Fake profiles" has both: the most mentions (583) and the widest spread (13 apps). "Customer service" and "phone number" have fewer apps involved (7 and 5) but still meaningful mention counts, suggesting those are pain points concentrated in a smaller set of apps rather than a category-wide pattern.

For a category built on trust between strangers, a phrase like "fake profiles" showing up in 13 separate apps' reviews is a different kind of problem than one app having a bad month. It's the same two words, independently, in app after app.

The same two words, "fake profiles," show up independently in 13 separate dating apps' negative reviews.

The 79.9% positive share is real, and so is the 583-mention drumbeat sitting inside the 14.3% that isn't. Both numbers describe the same category at the same time.